


Paris In The Rain

by swinggal138



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005), Midnight in Paris (2011)
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, Feels, Gen, Implied Sexual Content, Paris (City), Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-16
Updated: 2013-08-16
Packaged: 2017-12-23 16:55:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 8,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/928896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swinggal138/pseuds/swinggal138
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor lands in the living room of two unsuspecting girls and takes them to Paris in 1927 where they meet their literary idols. Gwen develops feelings for Fitzgerald after his tragic divorce with Zelda while Lacey finds herself inexplicably drawn to the charming Doctor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Gwen and Lacey sat in their apartment, sipping on gin and tonic. It had been a long week for both of them and they needed a good girls’ night in. A cheesy movie was playing on the television while they vented about their weeks. Lacey had just started a new job that she found incredibly boring and Gwen had been both cheated on and dumped by her boyfriend; Lacey had to admit Gwen had the harder week. That was the true reason for the strong drinks that evening; Gwen needed a distraction from James. The man-bashing had just begun when an odd sound filled their apartment; it was mechanical, beautiful, like a key being drawn across piano strings. The two girls looked at each other, completely confused as to the origin of the sound. Then, as if in answer to their question, something started to appear in their living room, right over the coffee table. It looked like a blue police box and that image grew clearer as the object became much more solid while the sound grew louder. And suddenly, there was indeed a blue police box sitting in their living room, right where the coffee table used to be. The two girls just stared at the new addition to their apartment, unsure of what to do.  
“Exactly how strong did you make our drinks?” Lacey asked.  
“Not that strong,” Gwen said, although a bit uncertainly.  
After a moment of just shocked silence, Gwen slowly started to get off the couch, moving towards the object when a door on the front opened. Both girls jumped back in shock, Lacey letting a small scream of surprise emit from her mouth. Out from the door stepped a man, dressed in a long coat, a blue suit, brown hair sticking up from the top of his head in a wild manner; he was quite handsome although Gwen and Lacey were more distracted by the fact that a strange man was standing in their living room, slowly pacing around a blue police box. He walked around the box, stroking it on occasion, and muttering something about coordinates and temperamental moods. The girls just gaped at him, completely unsure of how to approach this situation. As he came around from the back of the blue box, he finally seemed to take in his surroundings and notice the two people on the couch in front of him.  
“Oh…hello!” he greeted them, his voice dripping with a British accent.  
“Hi?” Lacey said.  
“Who are you?” Gwen said, forgoing all formalities of a hello.  
“I’m the Doctor. Sorry. Where am I, by the way?”  
“Portland...Oregon,” Gwen replied, still waiting for an explanation for the sudden appearance of a man in a box.  
“Portland...brilliant! I love this town. What year is it?”  
“2013.”   
“Great year!”  
“I’m sorry...but who are you again?” Gwen asked.  
“I’m the Doctor!”  
“Yes, you said that already. That does not answer my question. Are you aware that you just appeared in our living room and crushed our coffee table?”  
“I did. Terribly sorry about that. TARDIS is in a bit of a temperamental mood lately; doesn’t go where I tell her to go.”  
“Excuse me...TARDIS?” Lacey inquired.  
“Yes...this is my TARDIS...beautiful isn’t she?”  
“I suppose so?” Lacey responded.  
“What exactly is it?” Gwen questioned.  
“Well...it’s a spaceship...of sorts.”  
“So, you’re an alien?”  
“Yes...well...to you I am. But then, you’re an alien to me.”  
“Ok...so, that still does not explain what you are doing here.”  
“Well, I was aiming for London 1827 but the TARDIS didn’t quite land correctly.”  
“So, your ship travels through time too?”  
“Yes...time and space.”  
Gwen and Lacey just looked at each other, hardly believing what they were hearing, and yet they had physically seen the ship appear out of nowhere.  
“You look a bit skeptical...would you like me to prove it?” the Doctor asked, indicating towards his TARDIS and then opening the door. With their curiosity getting the best of them, both girls rose from the couch and walked through the door. Their eyes opened in shock as they took in their new surroundings. Despite how small and rectangular it looked from the outside, the interior was huge! It looked like it went on forever, with hallways leading away from what they could only assume was the cockpit. The Doctor ran around a control panel in the center, pressing buttons and flipping levers.  
“So, anywhere in all of time and space, where do you want to go?”  
Both girls looked at each other, the same answer running through their minds.  
“Paris, 1927,” Gwen said.  
The Doctor just beamed at the two girls, his face practically glowing as he pushed a few more buttons.  
“Great choice. Here we go then. Allons-y!”  
The whole machine shook as Gwen and Lacey grabbed onto the nearest solid object. In only a few seconds, the shaking stopped and the Doctor ran to the front door.  
“Alright then,” he said, opening the door, “take a look.”  
The best friends exchanged another look before heading towards the front door and peering out; their eyes widened in disbelief as the Eiffel Tower shone out before them. Both of them stepped out of the TARDIS. A soft rain fell as the streetlights shone off the soaked streets.  
“Here you are, Paris, 1927. Great year...artists, writers, musicians. Life was a party. Speaking of, I vote we find one.”  
And with that, the Doctor took off down the street, but Gwen called out to stop him.  
“Wait! Doctor! We can’t go to a party...we’re in our pajamas!”  
“Right...”


	2. Chapter 2

Less than an hour later, Gwen and Lacey emerged from the TARDIS again, decked out in outfits provided for them from the TARDIS closet. Lacey wore an elegant black number, fitting the style of the day and covered in lace; Gwen also wore a dress of the current fashion, dripping with white fringe and silver sequins. They wandered down the boulevard, finally stumbling across a small bar that appeared to be hopping with people, Charleston music pouring out the front door. The three time travelers stepped in and were greeted with the smell of alcohol and people. The Doctor instantly grabbed Lacey and pulled her out to the dance floor. He wasn't the best Charleston dancer she had ever seen but he was fun and no one seemed to care. Meanwhile, Gwen leaned against the bar, taking in the scene before her, still in disbelief at where she was. She was just beginning to contemplate ordering a drink, when a voice interrupted her thoughts,  
"If you're trying to decide what to order, they make a diamond whiskey sour."  
Gwen jumped a bit and turned to look at the man standing next to her. He was a handsome man in a grey suit, his wavy hair perfectly styled, and his voice had the tinge of a southern accent.  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."  
"Oh, it's fine. Just didn't notice you standing there."  
"You're American."  
"Oh, yeah. I'm from Oregon. Gwen Morehouse," she said, introducing herself.  
"Scott Fitzgerald."  
Gwen just gaped at the man.  
"Scott Fitzgerald? As in, Francis Scott Fitzgerald?"  
"You've read my books."  
"I've read everything you wrote. You are a very talented writer."  
"Thank you. And what is it that you do?"  
"Umm...I'm currently between occupations...at the moment."  
"I have been there. I'd like to introduce you to my wife, Zelda. She's around here somewhere," he said, looking around the room, just in time to see her leaving with some Spanish gentleman.  
"Oh dear," he said, "I better go after her; I don't like when she goes off alone with him. But it was nice to meet you. Gwen was it?"  
"Yeah."  
"Well I hope I see you around."  
"Likewise."  
Gwen smiled as she watched him walk out the door. She had just met F. Scott Fitzgerald, in a bar, in Paris, in 1927. This was so surreal and she kept waiting for it to just be a dream. But, until she woke up, she might as well enjoy herself. And she turned around to order a whiskey sour from the bartender.  
Just as she was finishing her drink, the Doctor and Lacey came over to join her at the bar, Lacey ordering a drink for herself.  
"So, I saw you talking to Scott Fitzgerald. Nice fellow isn't he?" the Doctor said to Gwen.  
Lacey almost spit out her drink.  
"You met F. Scott Fitzgerald?!"  
"Yeah, I did," Gwen said, unable to contain her huge smile.  
"That is amazing."  
The two girls sipped their drinks and conversed more with the Doctor, when he decided that it was Gwen's turn to dance and dragged her out to the floor, leaving Lacey alone at the bar this time. She was just finishing her first drink and ordering a second when a guy stepped up next to her.  
"Please, allow me" he said, paying the bartender for her drink.  
"Thank you," she said, gratefully accepting the drink and taking a sip.  
"You're American too," he observed.  
"Yeah, from Orgeon. Lacey McMannis."  
"Cole Porter."  
Lacey just blinked a few times, processing the information she had just received.  
"I take it you've heard of me then," he said, a charming but smug smile crossing his face.  
"Yeah, practically everyone has heard of you."  
"Well, I wouldn't say my popularity extends that far but thank you. So, what is a girl like you doing at the bar all alone?"  
"Oh, I'm just here with some friends. They're dancing at the moment."  
"Well, I'm glad they are; gives me the chance to meet you."  
Lacey blushed and smiled, not entirely sure how to handle the fact that Cole Porter himself was flirting with her. Boredom was no longer an issue in her life.  
"So, Lacey, what is it you do that brings you to Paris?"  
"I'm a writer actually."  
"I should have guessed. Practically everyone is these days. Hey, it looks like my friend is leaving and I want to make sure she gets home safe but what are you doing tomorrow night?"  
"Umm...nothing?"  
"Well, I'm throwing a party and you should come. Just get the address from the bartender. And bring your friends."  
And with that he walked out the front door as Gwen came back to join her, the Doctor having found someone else to dance with.  
"Was that...Cole Porter?!" she asked.  
Lacey nodded, before taking a big gulp of her drink, still in shock from all that was happening.  
"And," she finally said, "he's invited us to a party tomorrow night."  
"Well...ok then. I think it is safe to say our week has significantly improved."  
"Indeed."


	3. Chapter 3

The next night, Lacey and Gwen emerged from the TARDIS, once again bedecked in the nicest dresses befitting the time period they were in; the TARDIS had a fantastic closet. Gwen was wearing a green flapper dress, covered in sequins, while Lacey was wearing a deep red one covered in fringe. After bidding goodnight to the Doctor, who opted to stay behind, they made their way through the lamp-lit streets to the address given them by the bartender. When they entered the house, they could not believe their eyes. Tons of people filled the rooms while music played loudly as people danced and drank the alcohol that was in abundance there. The girls exchanged a look before grabbing a drink and beginning to mingle. It was an amazing party, one they never could have imagined going to. In the course of just an hour or two they had met Pablo Picasso, T.S. Eliot, and even Salvador Dali, who was quite possibly the weirdest person they have ever encountered. They were just about to finish up what was probably their fourth drink when Gwen felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning around, she found Scott Fitzgerald standing there.  
"Gwen, I didn't know you would be here tonight. Cole throws quite a party, doesn't he?"  
"Yes, he does. Oh, Scott, I want you to meet my friend Lacey."  
"Pleasure to meet you. And this is my wife, Zelda."  
"Pleased to meet ya. Always nice to meet other Americans here. Scott, I'm going to get me another drink."  
"Alright dear."  
"Gwen," Lacey said, "I think I'm going to go find Cole."  
"He's in the next room over, playing the piano I believe,” Scott said.  
"Thank you. It was nice to meet you Mr. Fitzgerald."  
"Please, call me Scott."  
"Well it was nice to meet you Scott."  
"Likewise. So, Gwen, how long have you and Lacey been in Paris?"  
"Only two days actually."  
"Well, if you ever need someone to show you a few of the local places, I would be more than happy to."  
"Thank you. I appreciate that."  
"Of course. Well, I should probably find Zelda before she finds that Spaniard again."  
"Doesn't it bother you that she is constantly running around with him?"  
"Yes, very much so. But our marriage isn't all it appears to be. We really are barely hanging on. But why am I telling you all this? Must be the alcohol talking. I do apologize."  
"It's okay. And I'm sorry to hear about your marriage. If you ever need anyone to talk to, I am a good listener."  
"Well thank you. I appreciate the offer. You really are quite the charming young lady. I hope to see you around."  
"Likewise. Well, I better let you go find your wife."  
"Indeed. I will see you soon I hope."  
And with that he headed off in the direction Zelda went while Gwen grabbed another Sidecar off a passing tray, leaning against the table next to her.  
"There are two great pleasures in life...the intensity of a fierce battle and making love to a beautiful woman."  
Gwen turned to see who the deep voice belonged to that was making such a random statement. Leaning on the other side of the table was a rugged looking man, wearing a white shirt under a brown coat. His brown hair looked a bit disheveled and his green eyes held the slight glaze of alcohol. But Gwen had to admit, he was quite handsome although not the kind she would normally go for. Realizing that the man had spoken to her, she finally replied,  
"Excuse me?"  
"I was merely commenting on your beauty."  
"Umm...thank you. I'm Gwen, by the way."  
"Ernest Hemingway."  
"It is an honor to meet you Mr. Hemingway."  
"Please, just Hemingway. I take it you read my book then."  
"I did. It was great."  
"It was a good book because it was an honest book."  
"Um, ok."  
"What do you do Gwen?"  
"I'm currently between jobs, I guess."  
"There is no such thing as between jobs. To live is your job and as long as you do that, you will never find yourself unemployed."  
"Thank you...I think."  
"Gwen, a beautiful woman, when you make love to her, makes you forget your fear of death."  
Gwen didn't really have a reply to that, unsure if he was just making a statement or coming onto her, so she just took another sip of her drink.  
"Have you ever been to one of Cole's parties before?"  
"No, this is my first one."  
"Then let me show you the rest of the house."  
"Ok," she agreed, not daring to pass up any chance to spend time with one of the most famous writers of all time.

. . .

Meanwhile, Lacey had vanished in search of Cole, finding him like Fitzgerald had said, playing the piano and surrounded by women. She wasn't sure if she should approach the group but then he spotted her and beamed a winning smile at her as he continued to play and sing

You've got that thing, you've got that thing  
The thing that makes birds forget to sing  
Yes, you've got that thing, that certain thing

Lacey smiled, in complete disbelief that she was actually listening to Cole Porter play piano and sing one of his most famous songs, and it appeared he was singing it to her. She walked over to the piano and joined the small crowd of women but Cole's eyes never left her. He finished the song and dispersed the crowd of women, leaving only him and Lacey in the room.  
"I'm glad you could make it."  
"Yes, thank you for inviting me. This is magnificent party."  
"Thank you. I enjoy throwing these little get-togethers."  
He stood and walked around the piano to where she was standing, glancing over her and appreciating the way the dress fell on her body.  
"You look stunning this evening."  
Lacey blushed and thanked him for the compliment. A waiter walked by outside the room and Cole called him in, getting drinks for both he and Lacey. They sat on the piano bench, sipping them and talking about their lives, how they came to Paris (although Lacey elected not to go into detail on that subject), and various interests. Finally, they finished their drinks, setting the empty glasses on the top of the piano. Then, without warning, Cole leaned in, pressing his lips against Lacey's and placing his hand on her thigh. Although a bit taken aback at first, Lacey began to kiss him back, her fingers lacing behind his neck and he slipped one arm around her waist, using it to pull her closer. They sat kissing on the bench for quite awhile, his fingers finding their way to her hair as hers ran up and down his arms. Eventually, they broke apart, Cole planting one last kiss on her lips before standing and helping Lacey to her feet.  
"I should probably be getting back to the party," he said, "Wouldn't want the host to vanish for too long."  
Lacey agreed and they started walking towards the door, but not before Cole pushed her back against the piano, spending another few minutes kissing her, exploring her mouth, as her hands ran along the expensive fabric of his suit.

. . . 

Gwen walked with Hemingway through the house; he had his arm draped over her shoulders as he pointed out several rooms and pieces of art that Cole had. They were approaching the back of the house when they came to what appeared to be a guest bedroom. After showing her a painting hanging on the wall, Hemingway stepped over to her, staring down at her.  
"Gwen, you are an intelligent and beautiful woman so I'm going to be straightforward with you. Because if a man isn't honest, he isn't a man."  
"Ok..."  
"I want to make love to you tonight."  
"Um..."  
"If you do not want to, I will accept your decision. I just feel you should experience a true man, who has seen the heat of battle, making love to you and showing you what real love and beauty is."  
Gwen wasn't entirely sure how to react. She couldn't deny that he was incredibly attractive and it was admittedly something she had been thinking about since he first talked to her at the party, but she wasn't used to men being so forward with her. Not to mention the fact that this was Ernest Hemingway standing in front of her. Since she couldn't find the words to express her agreement, she decided to use another method. Closing the small gap between them, Gwen stood on her toes and pressed her lips against his. He took her kiss as a yes and instantly wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her close and kissing her hungrily, passionately, quickly removing her dress over her head and placing her on the bed, kicking the door shut in the process. He crawled on top of her, covering her body with his, leaning down once again to press his lips to hers. He kissed her like he was writing his prose, with aggression and passion, his hands exploring and memorizing every curve of her body as if she was a novel he was reading. He broke the kiss to quickly remove the rest of their clothing, before moving his mouth back to hers.

. . .

About an hour later, Gwen and Hemingway were emerging from the room, put fairly back together, although Gwen's hair had suffered a bit at the escapade. They were walking down the hall when they ran into Lacey and Cole, who was now giving Lacey the tour of the house. Both girls exchanged a quick look, knowing exactly what had happened with the other. After letting that moment pass, Lacey introduced Gwen to Cole and she introduced Hemingway to Lacey. The two couples parted ways and continued on to enjoy the rest of the party.  
Just a little while later, Gwen and Lacey were leaving the party, utterly exhausted and still fairly tipsy after the many drinks they had had. They found their way back to the TARDIS and knocked on the door. The Doctor flung the door open, looking a bit manic, then smiling at them, moving so they could come in.  
"So, how was the party?"  
"Great," they both said in unison, beaming.  
"Gwen, what on earth happened to your hair?" the Doctor asked, noticing its slightly disheveled appearance.  
"Oh, she had some fun with Ernest Hemingway tonight," Lacey said with a smirk.  
"Like you weren't off having some fun of your own with Cole," Gwen retorted with a teasing smile.  
"I offer to take them anywhere in time and space and they decide to snog men at a party," the Doctor said, almost to himself.  
"Famous men," Gwen protested, "and like you're really going to tell me that you've never done the same."  
"Well...there was this one time in France..."  
The girls exchanged a knowing look before starting to head to bed when the Doctor called after them,  
"I hope it won't be awkward for you to see those men again...we...ah might be stuck here...for a bit."  
"What do you mean?" Lacey asked, "Is there something wrong with the TARDIS?"  
"A bit yes."  
"What?"  
"I'm not sure...but! I am working on fixing it...so...go to bed...enjoy the 20s...and we should be on our way in no time."  
The girls just shook their heads at this mad man with a box, truly beginning to wonder what they had gotten themselves into.


	4. Chapter 4

The next few days were bliss for Lacey and Gwen. They spent their days wandering the streets of Paris, exploring the city with the Doctor. And their nights were spent at the little joint they discovered on the first night there. Often, when they went out, the Doctor didn't join them, choosing instead to stay behind and work on fixing the TARDIS. Lacey and Gwen felt they had finally adapted to meeting all the famous people that seemed to keep appearing. Lacey usually spent her time at the bar, drinking and discussing fashion with Coco Chanel or dancing with the various men there. Gwen, on the other hand, spent most of her time talking with Scott Fitzgerald, his wife seeming to become scarcer as she spent time with the Spaniard she met. When Scott wasn't talking with her, Gwen usually was off with Hemingway somewhere, but their affair was cut short when he asked her to accompany him to Africa and she declined.  
One night, Lacey was feeling exhausted after a long day of exploring and chose to stay in rather than going out.  
"You sure you don't want to come?" Gwen asked.  
"Yeah, I'm sure. But go have fun. Are you meeting Hemingway again?"  
"No, he is still in Africa I think. But Scott and Zelda invited me to join them for drinks so I'll probably spend the evening with them."  
"Scott AND Zelda?"  
"Well, that's what he said but, who knows? She seems kind of flaky and high-strung."  
"She does. Well, have fun."  
"You too. See you later."  
Gwen walked off down the street, leaving Lacey to go back into the TARDIS where the Doctor was laying on his stomach, fiddling with something beneath the main console.  
"Still haven't found the problem?" she asked.  
"Not yet. She's just been in a bad mood lately," he said, jumping to his feet, "Probably why I ended up in your living room. She's upset with me after some slight damage I caused her on the last planet."  
"You talk as if she's alive."  
"Well she is," he said, stroking his hand along the console affectionately, "She's my TARDIS."  
Lacey reached out, stroking her hand along the console as well, feeling the metallic buttons and knobs beneath her fingers. The machine gave a slight shudder, jolting both the Doctor and Lacey.  
"Wow!" the Doctor said, "She doesn't do that for anyone but me; she must like you."  
Lacey blushed, somehow flattered that this machine had taken a liking to her. The Doctor seemed to enjoy this fact too, gazing at Lacey with admiration and affection, making her blush even more.  
"So, just how big is the TARDIS?"  
"Oh, she's infinite. So many rooms, more than I can explore in my lifetimes. Would you like a small tour? I can show you some of my favorite rooms."  
"I'd love that."  
The Doctor spent the rest of the evening taking her around the TARDIS, showing her hallways, bedrooms, the library, even a swimming pool. Lacey watched the Doctor with fascination. He was so kind and wonderful, always seeming to want to help people, but there seemed to be a constant sorrow in his eyes that never went away, a loneliness that he didn't want to talk about. Maybe, with time, Lacey could get him to open up to her.


	5. Chapter 5

Meanwhile, Gwen had arrived at the bar, her eyes searching for Scott and Zelda. She finally saw Scott, alone, at a table. From the way he held his glass, she could tell he had already had a few; she could also tell something was wrong. Gwen approached him slowly, placing a hand on his shoulder. His eyes lifted from his glass and she saw his eyes open wider in surprise as he took in her purple flapper dress, cut low on her chest and high on her thigh, dripping with fringe. Finally composing himself, he offered her a small smile.  
"Are you okay?" she asked, taking the seat across from him and signalling to the bartender for her usual whiskey sour.  
"Zelda left me for good."  
"What do you mean?"  
"She moved all her stuff out and left a note saying she ran off to Spain with...him."  
"Well...she might come back. She has done impulsive stuff like this before but she always returns to you."  
"I fear she is gone for good this time. But this has been coming for awhile. I can't keep chasing after her every night. She should leave if she wants to."  
"Well, I'm really sorry to hear that. I think she is making the worst decision of her life leaving you."  
Scott looked at her and smiled.  
"You are a wonderful woman, Gwen Morehouse. I feel often my conversations with you have been the one thing keeping me sane."  
"Thank you," Gwen said, blushing at the compliment.  
"So," he said, changing the subject, "I haven't seen Hemingway around lately."  
"Yeah, he asked me to go with him to Africa, I declined, he went anyway."  
"He does tend to do that. I'm sorry."  
"It really isn't a big deal. He and I were far from serious."  
Scott raised an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything. They continued drinking in silence for a bit, Fitzgerald sending glances her way every now and then. After a bit, he spoke up,  
"You know, I'm not liking the atmosphere here much anymore. Would you like to go somewhere else? I know this little out of the way place that makes a splendid Sidecar."  
Gwen agreed and they got a small group of people together to join them, all of them piling into a small car, still sipping on drinks from the last place. The car was small and Gwen was sitting in the back seat, Scott sitting on the back of the car, behind her so her head was between his knees, him fiddling with her hair as they drove over to the next place. They all piled out, Scott offering Gwen his hand, and they all went inside. Several drinks later, the party was still going strong but Gwen was getting light-headed from the amount of alcohol and decided she needed some air. Scott chose to accompany her, extending his elbow as they walked along a lamp-lit avenue. It had just rained and the streets were glistening, reflecting the lights above them. Scott and Gwen laughed and walked, enjoying the company of the other. After a bit, they paused to sit on a bench, Gwen leaning her head to Scott's shoulder.  
"I really am sorry Zelda left you; I am honestly baffled as to why."  
"That is very kind of you. But, we had been drifting apart lately anyway. She couldn't stand my drinking and I couldn't stand her constant mood swings. Her affairs with others were not unknown to me and it was just a matter of time until she had moved on."  
"Well, I still think it is a horrible decision on her part to let you go."  
"Thank you. And what about you? You must have a man back home somewhere, beautiful girl like you."  
"I did. But, he found a younger blonde he would much rather be with. He broke up with me shortly before I came here."  
"I am terribly sorry to hear that. And must say I pity him for not having the maturity to understand the value of such a classy and enchanting woman such as yourself."  
Gwen blushed, lifting her head from his shoulder to look him in the eye.  
"Thank you. Sincerely. No man has ever said something so sweet to me."  
"I am sorry to hear you haven't been told that enough in your life," Scott replied, suddenly lifting his hand to the side of her face and pressing his lips to hers. The kiss was brief but Gwen felt it held more meaning than any other kiss she had ever received; she was sad when Scott pulled away from her, giving her a look of apology.  
"I am sorry. That was quite ungentlemanly of me and I blame the alcohol I have had tonight. Perhaps we should get back?"  
Gwen nodded, somewhat disappointed that he had only kissed her because he was drunk. Once they got back to the bar, Gwen felt that she should probably get back to the TARDIS. She bid farewell to Scott, who was chatting with an old friend he ran into, and wandered back, still thinking about that kiss as the butterflies continued to flutter in her stomach, and hoping that maybe it was more than just alcohol behind it.


	6. Chapter 6

The next two weeks passed by quickly; Lacey had taken to staying in nights, spending time with the Doctor and trying to help him with the TARDIS, while Gwen chose to continue going out, spending most of her time dancing and talking with Scott. For awhile, the kiss wasn’t mentioned and they went about things as usual. But one night changed all that. Both of them had a drink or two but decided to leave the bar when Hemingway, who was apparently back from his trip, and a few of his rowdier friends came in. They meandered down the street for a bit when Scott decided to go out on a limb,  
“Would you like to come back to my place? I have a wonderful, high-quality whiskey and have been looking for someone to share it with.”  
“I would love that.”  
The two of them wandered back to his apartment; it was simple but fitting of a writer with a large bed, a couch, a fireplace, a small kitchen, and a desk in the corner with a typewriter on it. Scott lit a fire then poured them each a glass of the whiskey and they sat on the couch drinking it. They were silent for awhile, both of them thinking things they were not sure they should say. Finally, Scott broke the quiet,  
“I have something I feel I should confess to you, Gwen. That kiss I gave you was not a drunken accident; I have been wanting to do that since I met you. You are quite possibly the most enchanting creature I have ever met. I don’t expect you to reciprocate my feelings but I felt you had to know that I don’t consider kissing you a mistake.”  
Gwen set down her near empty glass, turning to look Scott in the eye, smiling.  
“I am so glad to hear you say that. I haven’t stopped thinking about that night and when you said that you had only kissed me because of the alcohol, I was incredibly dismayed because I don’t think I’ve ever had a kiss that meant as much as that one.”  
By this time, Scott had set his glass down as well, moving to be closer to her on the couch, placing one hand on her knee as she spoke. Now, with the confidence inspired by her speech, he placed one hand behind her head, drawing her to him and kissed her softly but passionately. Gwen sighed as her hands rested on his chest then slid upwards behind his neck as the kiss deepened. Releasing her lips, Scott gently laid Gwen back on the couch, placing light kisses down her neck before pausing, nestling his head against her shoulder.  
“If I don’t stop now, I will soon be doing things a proper gentleman shouldn’t do. And I don’t want you to think that I asked you to come back with me for that purpose.”  
Gwen stroked her fingers lightly through his hair,  
“I don’t think that at all. It is perfectly natural for an evening to develop and I am glad you asked me back here. As for the idea of being polite, I will consider it rude if you don’t START kissing me again.”   
Scott smiled up at her, placing a gentle kiss on her sternum before lightly kissing back up to her lips, instantly capturing them with his and pushing his tongue in to tangle with hers. Meanwhile, Gwen removed the jacket he was wearing over his shoulders, then took the tie off as well. She was beginning to undo his buttons when he broke away from the kiss again,  
“Shall we move this over to the bed?”  
Gwen nodded, kissing him again, before he stood up, offering her his hands to help her up as well. As soon as she was on her feet, he wrapped his arms around her waist, gazing down at her,   
“You are so breathtakingly beautiful. I am so happy to have met you and that you have granted me the privilege of your company and conversation these last few weeks.”  
“I assure you, the pleasure is all mine. You make me feel more treasured than any man has before.”  
“You are meant to be treasured,” he said before leaning down to kiss her again, her fingers finishing the work on his buttons and pushing his shirt off as they made their way to the bed. In one swift movement, Scott removed her dress over her head before lifting her to the bed, gently crawling beside her and pulling her in for another languid, romantic kiss as she began to undo the button on his trousers.


	7. Chapter 7

The next night, Gwen had finally convinced Lacey and the Doctor to join her and the three of them headed out to the bar, Gwen once again wearing her white dress while Lacey was donning a low-cut red one that showed off her amazing legs. The three of them spent the evening dancing and drinking; even the Doctor chose to drink that night. Gwen spent a good portion of time with Scott again and Lacey noticed the way they looked at each other and stole kisses; it was really adorable actually. After awhile, both Lacey and the Doctor were good and tipsy, teetering on drunk, and decided to head back to the TARDIS, Gwen insisting on staying behind. They laughed and ran down the street, finally reaching the blue police box and going inside.  
"Let's go swimming!" the Doctor yelled, grabbing her hand before Lacey had a chance to protest. They got to the pool and Lacey just stared at the crazy man,  
"Doctor, we need to change before getting in the pool...you know...bathing suits or something?"  
"Who says?" he said, giving her a little shove as she lost her balance and splashed into the pool. She was about to scold him when he jumped in right after her, splashing her. They swam around for awhile, splashing water at each other and attempting to swim in their soaking clothes. The Doctor seemed to be having a bigger issue with this as his blue suit was rather heavy and kept weighing him down. Eventually, they were fairly exhausted and swam over to the side, using their elbows to hold onto the edge while they kept talking. The Doctor looked at her,  
"Lacey McMannis, you are brilliant. You know that? I am so glad I met you; I've needed someone fun in my life."  
"The feeling is mutual Doctor; my life was so boring and then you appear in my living room and poof! no longer bored! I mean, I have met my literary idols, danced Charleston in the 20s, and even made out with Cole Porter at a party."  
"That you did. And you know what, I see why Cole was so interested in you. Your lips look downright kissable."  
Lacey blushed deep red, her eyes focusing down on the water as a smile played across her face, not noticing the Doctor had inched closer to her.  
"They look soft...would it be okay if I found out?"  
The Doctor didn't give her a chance to answer before placing his hand under her chin, lifting her face, and pressing his lips to hers. He kissed her deeply, his hand wrapping around the back of her neck to pull her closer as she returned the kiss, running her fingers into his hair. They finally broke apart and the Doctor beamed at her,  
"Ah yes, I was quite right. You are a brilliant kisser!"  
"You're pretty amazing yourself," Lacey responded, still reeling from his lips being on hers.  
"Well..."he said, as he pressed his lips to hers again, slipping his tongue past her lips, exploring. They continued kissing in the pool until they were both a bit breathless and their arms ached from gripping the side. Slowly, they got out of the pool, shaking as much water as possible from their clothes and walking down the hall to find some dry clothes in the closet. Once they were dry, the Doctor looked at Lacey again,  
"That was wonderful. Been a long time since I had a good snog with a beautiful girl. Well, I should be off to bed. Get some sleep after all the alcohol you know. Goodnight Lacey McMannis," he said, pressing another long, languid kiss to her lips and wandering off down the hall. Lacey stood there a moment, trying to process what had just happened and wondering why she wanted so badly to do it again.


	8. Chapter 8

For the next few days, things returned to normal. Gwen continued spending time with Scott while Lacey and the Doctor tried to figure out the TARDIS. Finally the Doctor conceded he might need the manual which apparently he had shelved in the library somewhere. Sighing, Lacey told him she would help him search and the two went to the library, pouring over shelf after shelf, looking for the manual. As she was searching, Lacey stumbled across a book that looked intriguing, and she paused a moment to bring it over to a couch and look through it.  
"Doctor," she called, "What's the Time War?"  
The Doctor poked his head around the corner, a serious look on his face.  
"What made you ask that?"  
Lacey showed him the book she was reading. He walked over to the couch, took the book from her, saying,  
"It's nothing."  
Lacey looked at him, clearly not believing it.  
"No, I can tell it's not nothing. What happened? Is that why you look so sad all the time?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"I mean, your eyes always look so sad and lonely. You can talk to me you know? I'm a great listener."  
The Doctor looked at her, knowing she wasn't going to let it go. So, he joined her on the couch, telling her his long tragic tale of his history, the Time War, travelling, losing companions, and finally the heart-wrenching part about a girl left on a beach.  
"I know she's going to be happy with, well, me but not me. But I can't help but miss her; she was wonderful."  
Lacey looked at him, tears almost threatening to spill out of her own eyes, and took his hand. He looked down at their hands then into her eyes.  
"Doctor, just because you are the last Time Lord, doesn't mean you are alone. You are never alone. I am certain there are many people who care a great deal about you; I care a great deal about you."  
The Doctor looked at her with a genuinely inquisitive look on his face.  
"And why would you care about me? You barely know me."  
"Well, aside from the fact that you are kind and funny and handsome, I care about you because you rescued me from my boredom, from my life. You have shown me things I never would have imagined were possible. And it's not true that I don't know you. I know you're a Time Lord and that you have a TARDIS, I know your history...and..." Lacey said, smirking at him, "I know for a fact that you are a great kisser."  
"Well...not gonna deny that. And I care about you too Lacey. You are an amazing woman..you really are. I can't remember having this much fun with someone in a long time. And...the TARDIS seems to just adore you and I almost always trust the judgment of my TARDIS," he said, a smile returning to his face as Lacey laughed.  
The Doctor then scooted closer to her on the couch.  
"Lacey, would it be alright if I kissed you right now?"  
Lacey just nodded, smiling, as he pressed his lips to hers, kissing her passionately, pouring all his loneliness out in that kiss, ridding himself of it as she kissed him back, affirming that he was not alone. His hands moved to her waist and drew her closer to him as she deepened the kiss by exploring his mouth with her tongue. They finally broke the kiss and he placed another one on her forehead.  
"Well...we better keeping looking for that manual," he said, getting up from the couch, helping Lacey up as well.  
They spent the rest of the day searching through the books, finally finding the book they needed on the last shelf in the back.


	9. Chapter 9

Over the next week, the Doctor and Lacey kept working on the TARDIS; they felt they were getting close to fixing it. Gwen had started spending most of her days in the TARDIS, occasionally going out to spend time with Scott. And she definitely chose to go out drinking and dancing with him every night. It was clear how much they liked each other and were getting closer. But neither of them actually talked about what was going on. Gwen felt he wouldn't want a real relationship after his wife leaving him; not to mention the fact that she was from the future and that might freak him out. However, things changed one night when Scott asked if he could walk her back to her apartment.  
"No, um, that's okay. Thank you for the offer but I'll be okay."  
"No, I insist. A lady should not walk these streets by herself this late at night. Besides, you've seen my place but I have yet to get an idea of where you live."  
"Well..."  
"What's the matter? I promise I am not implying anything."  
"No, it's not that. It's just...okay, sit down; I need to tell you something. It's going to sound crazy but I promise I am telling you the truth."  
Scott gave her a look but joined her on the bench as Gwen took one of his hands in hers, looking him straight in the eye.  
"Scott, I'm not exactly from around here."  
"I know that. Neither am I."  
"No, what I mean is...well...I'm from the future."  
He just gave her a questioning, confused look, waiting for her to continue, to explain what she meant.  
"The thing is, Lacey and I are from the year 2013. We came here with a man called the Doctor in his...well...spaceship."  
"Spaceship? Gwen, you're not making sense. How much have you had to drink tonight?"  
"No, I promise I am telling the truth. Listen, maybe if I just show you."  
She stood them both up, taking his hand and lacing her fingers through his, slowly leading him back to where the TARDIS was parked. Scott's eyes opened wide as he took in the sight before him. Gwen led him to the door, slowly opening it, praying he wouldn't freak out when he saw inside. The Doctor and Lacey, who had apparently been making out against the console judging from their hair, jumped back in surprise. Well, Gwen would be addressing this new piece of information with Lacey later, but right now, it was important for Scott to understand where she came from. The Doctor greeted him, looking at Gwen confused.  
"I'm trying to explain to Scott where we came from. Maybe you could explain it better?"  
The Doctor sat Scott down, who was still looking incredibly dazed, and explained as best he could who he was, where they came from, and about the TARDIS being broken, keeping them in this era for awhile. Towards the end, Scott started nodding his head, still looking surprised but also like he believed them.  
"So," he began slowly, suddenly looking at Gwen, "once you fix this...TARDIS...is it? Once it's fixed, you'll be leaving?"  
"Well that is the general plan, yeah," the Doctor said, not noticing the look on Gwen's face as well as Scott's.  
Scott stood up, moving closer to Gwen,  
"You'll be leaving ME then," he said, hurt and anger in his voice, surprising Gwen, "just like Zelda."  
And with that, he suddenly turned towards the TARDIS door, leaving abruptly, Gwen running to catch up with him. The Doctor and Lacey just exchanged confused looks, wondering what they had missed between those two.  
Gwen finally caught up with Scott, placing a hand on his shoulder and turning him to face her. Tears threatened to spill over as his eyes searched her face.  
"Why didn't you tell me? Why, why would you be spending all this time with me, talking with me, kissing me, knowing you are only going to leave?"  
"Scott, I didn't tell you because I didn't know how to bring it up," she said, tears welling in her own eyes at the sight of his. She put one hand on the side of his face and one on his shoulder, forcing him to look at her.  
"And I'm not leaving."  
"What do you mean? Don't you have a whole life to return to? Family? Friends?"  
"My parents died in a car crash two years ago. I don't speak to any other family members. I don't have a job. And Lacey is my only friend, and she will understand my staying here. I want to stay here. With you. If you'll still have me here, I mean."  
Scott didn't give her a verbal answer. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her to him, kissing her deeply, passionately, as if the world would end if he moved his lips away from hers. Her hands slid behind his neck, standing on her toes to kiss him better, slipping her tongue past his lips, wanting to taste and experience this moment forever. Breathless, they finally broke the kiss, and Scott just stared down at her.  
"I'll take that as a yes then?" Gwen asked and was answered by another kiss.


	10. Chapter 10

Back at the TARDIS, the Doctor was rummaging beneath the console while Lacey handed him tools.  
"AHA!" he suddenly exclaimed, jumping from his position and proceeding to run around the control panel, pushing buttons and throwing switches. The TARDIS hummed to life.  
"Is that it? Is it fixed?" Lacey asked.  
"It is indeed! Brilliant! Now, where do you want to go? Rome? Mars? No not Mars."  
"Doctor!" Lacey said, bringing him back to reality.  
"What?"  
"We can't leave yet."  
"Why not?"  
"Umm...we're missing a passenger?"  
"Oh, Gwen, right...yeah, probably best to wait for her. Although I suspect we won't be seeing her until morning."  
"Yeah, I imagine so. So, we can just go to bed and leave when she gets back tomorrow."  
"Or.." the Doctor said, a mischievous glint in his eye as he strode over to her.  
"Or what?"  
"I have some other ideas of what we can do with our time. It still involves a bed," he said with a wink, taking her hand and pulling her towards where his bedroom was. Once inside, Lacey took the Doctor by surprise, pushing him against the door and kissing him deeply, instantly pushing her tongue in to explore his mouth. He groaned and grabbed her hips, pulling her against him. Lacey moved her hands towards his clothing, removing his jacket and tie in no time, beginning work on his buttons. He kissed a line down her neck, fingers running over a sensitive spot on her back, making her gasp and quickly finish undoing the buttons, pushing the shirt off his shoulders. Once his shirt lay on the ground, the Doctor instantly reached his hands down, removing Lacey's dress over her head and pushing her to the bed. His mouth came down on hers again as his hands explored the now exposed skin on her body. As he kissed a line down her neck, her fingers moved to his belt, working to remove what few clothes remained between them.


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning, both Scott and Gwen returned to the TARDIS, arms around each other, looking ridiculously happy as he leaned over and placed a kiss to the side of her head. They went inside but the Doctor and Lacey were nowhere to be found.  
"Lacey?" Gwen called out, finally seeing her descending the staircase, hair mussed up, with the Doctor emerging behind her, his hair also a mess. Gwen didn't say anything but gave her an amused smile.  
"Well, now everyone's here!" the Doctor proclaimed, "We can be on our way."  
"Actually, Doctor," Gwen began, "I was meaning to talk to you about that. I'm going to stay here. With Scott."  
"Really? Well that's fantastic! You two are so cute together!"  
Lacey looked at her best friend, ecstatic to see her so happy but sad that they would be separating.  
"Lacey, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. But, I think my place is here with him," Gwen said, leaning up to place a kiss on Scott's cheek.  
"I'll miss you but I think you're right. You deserve a man like this. And I can always come visit."  
"Visit? You mean?"  
"Yeah, I'm not going home either. I'm going to stay with the Doctor."  
"Oh! I'm so happy for you!"  
"Well, I hate to break up this moment but we should be off. TARDIS gets cranky if we keep her waiting. Gwen, it was wonderful to meet you, spend time with you. I am sure we will meet again in the future…well…technically our past, your future…anyway. Scott, take care of this one."  
"Oh, I intend to," he said, leaning down to kiss Gwen.  
"Well, I guess this is goodbye," Lacey said, embracing her best friend.  
"For now. But I will see you again soon I imagine. And I expect stories of epic adventure."  
"I promise."  
Scott and Gwen stepped off the TARDIS, watching as it vanished before their eyes.  
"Well, now that you're stuck with me and no longer have a place to sleep, how about we go back to our place?" Scott asked, grinning down at her.  
"Our place? I like the sound of that."  
And with that, they walked off down the street, arms around each other, as rain began to pour from the sky, soaking the streets of Paris once again.


End file.
